Tag Archives: training your congressman

Litter. It doesn’t just show contempt for nature, but for fellow mankind. I have mentioned this before, but since we are here I’ll say it again. I notice people who litter are Republicans. Yes, I know… a sweeping generalization. That’s my bag. Anyhow… you don’t have to take my word for it. Instead, I ask you this… just remember that comment/observation. You will see that I was Correct.

I just love people who . . .

Who love and respect and honor those who are at lower stations in their lives. Meaning… don’t be a dick to the garbage man, or the maid, or the waitress… or the bum. There is some wisdom in this classic dating advice for women “A guy who is sweet to you, but an asshole to the waitress is an asshole”. This speaks volumes. Here it is said again by a mind brighter than mine – be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” Dalai Lama

Sometimes, I just get so depressed over . . .

How EVERYONE hates govt and Congress… yet EVERYONE re-elects their Congressfolk at a rate of over 90% every election. Do you think your calls to Congress, and letters, and aggressive Facebook rants mean dick to your Congressperson? Not when no matter how much you loathe them… you will still vote for them.

Another analogy (sorry, but it’s how I best communicate and think) – imagine you are training a puppy. He gets on the counter, and you HATE that. You tell EVERYONE how you hate that, including the dog. You sent letters to the dog, and gleefully participate in public polls about how much you dislike your dog getting on the counter. YET… each time he does it, you give him some bacon. Not only are you not effectively punishing the dog. You are rewarding him. Your vote is bacon. Stop feeding your Congressperson bacon, especially when they are bad dogs.

Sorry, it’s a bit of dramatic hyperbole to compare the public servants of Congress to dogs. We can all agree dogs are much better people. As Groucho Marx once said “outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

It’s just not normal to . . .

for disenfranchised Americans to think a real estate developer would fight for the poor. I FULLY get that the other choices sucked ass… and I voted for neither of them. I also fully get that for poor and disenfranchised voters (meaning anyone who is not a white male over 40)… ANYTHING was worth trying.

I think . . . is the new normal.

toll roads. Here is Denver, we have a few major highways that run through town. They have ALL been moved to toll roads for expansion. The new and super important and badly needed C470 run from I-25 to the foothills is getting new lanes. they are in the widening process now. Just googled it and found out those will be toll lanes. So, a better to commute to work coming soon… unless you make under $10 an hour, or have kids. the other side of the C-470 is the E-470. Toll road, the whole thing that loops around Denver… always been a toll road and always will be.

That shitty stretch of I70 that always backs up around Idaho Springs? Finally expanded… to toll lanes.

and just yesterday, I got a survey about widening of the I-25 from Castle Rock to Monument. They are widening it. Via toll lanes. There is SO much to say about this, I could really do a post blog on this issue. I won’t, but I will point out this – its likely our own fault. Whenever the govt asks for money for roads (or anything)… people hear ‘taxes’ and vote no. Always, every time. Same reason schools are broke.

Oh, and I have written about this. Bitching about traffic isn’t exactly groundbreaking social satire… but I see issues and I address them. Hopefully, with a good sense of humor and some honest research on the issue as well. Start here, then go here, then go here. Note how nobody and no time in any of these studies recommended toll lanes. Here is another reason why they suck (besides being elitist and unfair to the working poor) – they are still vulnerable to same traffic jams, accidents, and foul weather. My suggestion is light rail. Roughly the same ecological footprint (for digging and up and paving over things)… but is weather proof and traffic proof.

ok, one last dig. When it’s done, the few who can afford it (myself included, I admit) get to zip past the poor people in traffic. In the meantime, EVERYONE gets to live with this for 3 years… including the people who will never get to use it.